The almighty lineup for Harvest festival is nearly upon us, with the four-date East Coast music festival bringing out some major international names for its festival bill, and looks like its finished announcing its spate of sideshows from the likes of Grizzly Bear, Beirut and The War On Drugs, as well as fellow musical cohorts Ben Folds Five and Cake; and of course Beck’s one-and-only sideshow.
Despite the dazzling list of names, there’s a distinct lack of local acts (besides folk-rock sextet, Winter People), but with the announcement of Triple J Unearthed’s Harvest Festival competition winners, that’s about to change with the addition of four up-and-coming Australian bands being added to the festival lineup.
Keeping their ears to the ground for the freshest sounds, Triple J Unearthed have dug up four acts to fill those much coveted spots for Harvest’s showing in Brisbane, Sydney and two Melbourne bands for the dual dates at Werribee Park.
For the first of Melbourne’s twin dates, Ocean Grove garage rock revivalists The Murlocs have been named to play the on Saturday 10th Novmeber, with the five-piece bringing the swampy sounds of their Tee Pee EP (which gets the Tone Deaf verdict here) to punters, bringing a bit of well-placed harmonica among some scuzzy guitars and vital energy.
Following them, on Sunday 11th November are Lurch & Chief. Fresh from supporting Nada Surf in their hometown of Melbourne, the six-piece dabble in a decidedly 60s surf rock sound, that’s blurred with 70s psychedelic tricks and the straight-up attack of 90s grunge. They’ve got the male/female shared vocal thing down pat, as their latest single ‘It’s Easy’ (which was featured in our Mixtape) demonstrates. Sure to be an early highlight for the day.
Tigertown have been named to play Sydney’s Harvest Leg, lighting up the stage in Parramatta Park with their lovely harmonies and dreamy lilt. Having earned comparisons to the classic Rumours-era Fleetwood Mac, with a dash of Swedish sisters First Aid Kit and Australia’s own Boy and Bear on their EP Before The Morning (which gets the Tone Deaf review here); Tigertown will have the Sydney-siders drifting into their Harvest day with aplomb following their upcoming EP national tour.
Last, but certainly not least, Brisbane punters will be graced with Thomas Calder’s expressive intensity with The Trouble With Templeton. Added to the Botanic Gardens lineup for Sunday 18th November, the newly-minted five-piece have made a splash up at the recent BIGSOUND conference in Brisbane, as well as storming the ears of Triple J listeners with their new single, ‘Six Months In A Cast’ (also featured in a previous mixtape).
Hearty congratulations to The Murlocs, Lurch & Chief, Tigertown and The Trouble With Templeton are in order, as they join the impressively star-studded festival bill for Harvest 2012 – which you can view – in full – below
Harvest 2012 Full Lineup
Beck, Sigur Ros, Mike Patton’s Mondo Cane, Grizzly Bear, Ben Folds Five, Silversun Pickups, Beirut, Santigold, Cake, The Dandy Warhols, Dexys, The Black Angels, Chromatics, Crazy P, Ozomatli, Liars, Fuck Buttons, Los Campesinos!, The War on Drugs, Dark, Dark Dark, River City Extension, Dark Horses and Winter People.
Harvest Dates and Tickets:
Sat 10th Nov – Melbourne, Werribee Park
Sun 11th Nov – Melbourne, Werribee Park – SOLD OUT
Sat 17th Nov – Sydney, Parramatta Park
Sun 18th Nov – Brisbane, City Botanic Gardens
Tickets on sale now via harvestfestival.com.au, oztix.com.au 1300 762 545 & ticketek.com.au 132 849.
Harvest is an 18+ event only
